Shelter dogs evacuated out of Hurricane Milton’s path

The FUR Hurricane Milton Rescue Mission.

Photos courtesy of Florida Urgent Rescue

With Hurricane Milton on the cusp of category 5, Florida Urgent Rescue (FUR), a nonprofit organization that works to save animals from kill shelters and other urgent situations, worked with Pinellas County Animal Services to evacuate 26 dogs from a Pinellas County shelter where the storm is soon expected to make landfall.¹ Specifically, the FUR Urgent Transport program, which helps save animals in natural disasters and other emergencies, oversaw the rescue and transportation of the animals.¹ Working alongside Best Friends Animal Society, FUR relocated the dogs to Marietta, Georgia, where they will be held until the storm concludes, at which point they will be transported to rescues in New York.¹

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall along the west coast of Florida’s Manatee and Sarasota Counties in the late evening of Wednesday, October 9, not even 2 weeks removed from the destruction of Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 200 people in the southeastern United States.² The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive storms in the state’s history.² According to FUR, the consecutive hurricanes have made the situation even more dire for the animals.¹

FUR transported 26 dogs from a Pinellas County shelter ahead of the storm.

With the region still in recovery from Helene, local shelters are already overrun—often full past max capacity—with strays and owner surrenders. When victims of natural disasters return to their homes, finding them damaged or destroyed, shelters in impacted areas can expect an influx of surrendered dogs, as well as strays.¹

With limited capacity, resources, and another impending disaster, shelter animals, especially those that were in shelters prior to the storms, find themselves at risk.¹ FUR makes it their goal— in addition to evacuating animals out of the path of the storm’s destruction—to relocate animals who were in shelters prior to storms, making room for incoming strays and owner surrenders.¹

The FUR Urgent Transport program has completed disaster relief missions for animals in danger during 17 hurricanes and natural disasters, in addition to multiple on-the-ground rescue missions in Ukraine, in Turkey after a hurricane, and in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. Recently, FUR was on the ground in Wakulla County, Florida, ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The group evacuated more than 150 cats and dogs from shelters in Helene’s path. At the time of their evacuation efforts for Hurricane Milton, transport missions for Hurricane Helene were still in progress.¹

The group wasn’t alone in their relief efforts for Hurricane Helene. The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) announced a $10,000 contribution to the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree (VIGT) as a winner of the 2024 NAVC Gives award, which VIGT says will be used to support hurricane victims in Western North Carolina and other impacted areas.³

Additionally, in the aftermath of the disaster, pet care brands Purina and Hill’s Pet Nutrition each supported victims with donations of money and supplies to impacted victims and shelters.⁴ The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) also deployed a dozen members to assist with the care of search and rescue dogs in North Carolina.⁵
References

1. Double the Danger for Animals in Hurricane Milton. News release. Florida Urgent Rescue. October 8, 2024. Accessed October 8, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/double-the-danger-for-animals-in-hurricane-milton-302270089.html
2. Hurricane Milton threatens destruction in Florida. World Meteorological Organization. October 9, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://wmo.int/media/news/hurricane-milton-threatens-destruction-florida
3. NAVC Gives Awards $10,000 to The Veterinary Industry Giving Tree. News release. North American Veterinary Community (NAVC). October 8, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/navc-gives-awards-10-000-to-the-veterinary-industry-giving-tree-302270525.html
4. Littrell A. Pet care brands provide support for pets impacted by Hurricane Helene. October 4, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/pet-care-brands-provide-support-for-pets-impacted-by-hurricane-helene
5. Coppock K. Veterinary Emergency Team deploys to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. October 3, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/veterinary-emergency-team-deploys-to-north-carolina-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-helene